Strawberry time

Cliff and I have had strawberries on our cereal for three days straight.  We also had strawberry shortcake once already, and the berries are just getting started.  Here's what I picked this morning:

This is before I washed them, so they have dirt on them, thanks to all the rain we are (thankfully) receiving.

I have a small patch on the southwest corner of the garden; these planted themselves by crawling over the old strawberry bed.

And another on the southeast corner; I moved and planted those myself, carrying new plants from the old site.  There would have been more if it had rained last year.  Look at that bright red berry on the end.

If you have never tasted home-raised strawberries, you're missing out.  When strawberries are raised commercially, they choose a version of strawberries that are very firm, so they can travel well; they are never as naturally sweet as home garden berries.  For a couple weeks or so, we are eating a breakfast fit for royalty, putting two cups of berries over one cup of cereal.  I add a little cream to our two-percent milk, also... and yes, some sugar, but not much.

Riverbend Ed, if you are reading this, I will tell you that my parents planted "everbearing" strawberries one time in their long lives.  My father said they had very few strawberries compared to the June bearing varieties.  Since my mom needed plenty to freeze and plenty for jams, my father tilled out the everbearing after that one year.  I'll be anxious to see how you fare with yours.  I wouldn't mind trying them myself if they work for you.  

I shouldn't have planted this many tomatoes

Those closest plants are Yukon Gold.  I did a bad job of planning my garden this year, and I also had some failures, what with hail, wind, and pouring rains trying to defeat my plants.  There is a row of later red onions beyond those peas yonder.  I transplant cabbages in any little space I see.  

I set out a few cantaloupe plants a month ago, but because of wind and hail, they are just now starting to prosper.  It's the same with the four sweet potato plants, the peppers, and the eggplant.

Every year is different, but I always get lots of pleasure from my garden.